Letter, A. Shaw to Mary Shaw; 8/30/1862

              At Home  Saturday  August 30th 1862

Dear Mother  I shall try and send you this by the Stage this evening.  I only write to let you know how we all are and am sorry to say so many of us are sick.  Clarence is worse of than any of us.  He has had several fevers.  Coming on in the evening and lasting all night.  His fever last night was unusually severe.  This morning finds him quite exhausted.  He is asleep however & perspiring finely which I hope are favorable symptoms.  I have been for nearly a week suffering with the severest Cold I have had in a long time.  I am getting better though.  Mariah still has the disease in her ear.  It is no better.  I think she will lose the use of one ear.  Janes two Children are sick with fever.  There is some one or more sick at every house in our neighborhood.  The Soldiers at B.Haven are sickly � the measles are among them.  I have been discharged again.  B Oquin was not discharged.  There